SAUSAGE + MUSHROOM STUFFING WITH GOAT CHEESE

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yields 12 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. sourdough bread loaf, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. freshly minced garlic (about 3 large cloves)
Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. fresh mushroom blend (such as portabello, shiitake and oyster mushrooms), stemmed, washed and cut into medium slices
10 oz. mild country or Italian sausage links cut into 1/2-inch slices (or omit and use 4 extra oz. of mushrooms)
2 large leeks, diced, white and light green portions only, to yield 1 cup
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh sage leaves,cut crosswise into thin ribbons
4 Tbsp. fresh parsley leaves, chopped, divided
8 eggs
1 quart heavy cream
2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly groundblack pepper
6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

TIP: Sausage easily makes stuffing savory. “But if you don’t want to add meat, make sure you season it well. To do that without adding too much salt, use fresh herbs,” Gray says. “At holiday time, fresh sage is great, but it can be overpowering. Combine it with fresh thyme and fresh parsley. Blending these herbs will give your stuffing a depth of flavor and stop it from being bland.”

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Spread bread cubes evenly on a sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake on middle oven rack for 10 minutes. Stir. Bake 10 more minutes to toast on all sides. Set aside.

2) In a medium non-stick sauté pan over medium heat, warm 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add garlic; sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in a pinch of salt and pepper. Add all mushrooms, then cook, stirring frequently, until tender and light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

3) Preheat a medium non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat and add sausage. Brown on both sides. Drain fat; set aside.

4) Thoroughly wash and drain cut leeks 2 or 3 times to remove sand; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, toss together bread cubes, mushrooms, sausage, leeks, thyme, sage and 2 Tbsp. parsley. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Set aside.

5) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Press bread mixture lightly into pan. Slowly and evenly pour egg-cream mixture over bread. Crumble goat cheese evenly over surface and press lightly into dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees; uncover and bake 35 minutes, until golden. Cool slightly. Garnish top with remaining 2 Tbsp. parsley.

Recipe by Chef Tom Gray

DECADENT MASHED POTATOES

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yields 12 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut to similar sizeof Idaho potatoes
1 tsp. plus 1 Tb. sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups heavy cream or whole milk
Pinch of white pepper
Garnish: Thinly sliced fresh chives, or basil sliced into thin ribbons

TIP: Heat is vital. When the potatoes are finished cooking, immediately drain and mash them while hot, says Gray. “Usually people get sidetracked and the potatoes get cold,” he says. “Have your cream and butter heated and ready to add in right then. Stir to incorporate. And be OK with a few lumps. If you overstir or let the potatoes cool before mashing, they’ll be gluey.”

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Place cut potatoes in a 6-quart saucepan and cover with cold water. Add 1 tsp. sea salt, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter with cream, 1 Tbsp. sea salt and a pinch of white pepper.

3) When potatoes are cooked thoroughly (remove a piece and taste to ensure tenderness), drain in a colander. While still hot, pass potatoes through a food mill with a medium sieve attachment, or through a potato ricer, and put back into the hot pot in which they were cooked.

4) Slowly pour the warm butter-cream mixture into the potatoes; incorporate gently with a wooden spoon. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Garnish with fresh chives or basil. Serve immediately. Makes 9 cups.

Recipe by Chef Tom Gray

PORK + BEEF BOLOGNESE

yields 8 cups

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. ground beef
1 lb. pork butt, cut into strips (or substitute bacon)
6 oz. pancetta, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 lb. onions, diced
1 lb. carrots, diced
8 oz. celery, cut into thirds
1 28-oz. can plum tomatoes with juice
2 cups red wine
2 oz. canola oil
Pinch allspice
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground clove
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup whole milk

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Lightly brown the meats in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Once brown, add your onions, carrots + celery.

2) Once your vegetables have browned, add wine to deglaze the pan.

3) Add your tomatoes, milk and spices then bring the liquid to a simmer.

4) Cook slowly until all meats are fully-cooked and tender and the sauce has reduced. (Be careful not to burn the sauce. It needs to cook slowly and reduce so the final sauce is thick.)

5) With a fine-mesh sieve, transport most of the solids from the pot to your food processor. Pulse a few times, add back to the pot with the liquid and stir the sauce together. If it is still too runny, bring to a simmer again to slightly reduce.

6) Toss your cooked Chef Tom Gray Casarecce or Campanelle pasta in sauce.

You can freeze any leftover sauce.

Recipe by Chef Tom Gray

CHARRED KALE PESTO

This is a unique twist on traditional pesto substituting kale for basil. Charring the kale on a grill is not essential, but Chef Tom Gray recommends taking this additional step to add another layer of depth to the flavor. Serve leftover pesto tossed with pasta or atop a salad.

yields 2 cups

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch organic curly kale
1/2 cup breadcrumbs, toasted
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
3 cloves garlic, peeled
Pinch crushed red pepper
Zest of one lemon
kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Preheat grill. Tie kale leaves into small bunches with butcher's twine and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Grill over very hot coals until blackened on the outside. Let cool then remove stems and discard.

2) Place charred kale leaves, toasted breadcrumbs, and olive oil in a blender or food processor, season with kosher salt and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Do not overblend as you will lose the color.

3) Place garlic, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper in a mortar with a pinch of salt. Grind into a paste with a pestle. Fold garlic mixture into kale puree and season with salt to taste. Let sit for one hour and then adjust seasoning if needed.

Pesto can be made up to 2 days in advance if kept refrigerated. Discard if pesto loses its bright green color.

Recipe by Chef Tom Gray

RICOTTA-STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

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using Chef Tom Gray’s Fresh Ricotta Cheese
yields 4 - 6 servings

INGREDIENTS
12 squash, zucchini or pumpkin blossoms (see Note)
Olive oil or oil of choice, for cooking

FILLING INGREDIENTS
1 cup Chef Tom Gray’s Fresh Ricotta Cheese
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup finely chopped mint, basil or combination
salt + freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

BATTER INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 cup chilled seltzer
pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Mix flour, grated Parmesan and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. Do not add seltzer yet.

2) In a separate bowl, mix together ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan, herbs, salt and pepper until just combined. Spoon this mixture into a sandwich-sized plastic bag. Once you’ve filled the bag, seal it and cut one of the bottom corners with scissors.

3) Carefully open each blossom and pipe ricotta inside. Fill each about 2/3 the way full. After filling each, close the petals with your fingers and set aside.

4) Add seltzer to bowl with flour and Parmesan. Stir until just combined. Dredge half the stuffed blossoms in the batter.

5) Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat to about 1/4” depth. Heat oil to 350 degrees - if you don’t have a thermometer, the oil is ready when a drop of batter instantly sizzles.

6) Fry until lightly golden, 1-2 minutes, then with tongs carefully flip and cook the other side. Remove blossoms from oil and place on paper towels to drain. Season with salt. Repeat with remaining stuffed blossoms.

6) Serve with Chef Tom Gray’s Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce

Note: You can find squash blossoms at farmer’s markets. Reach out to a local farmer to see if they will harvest some for you - or a friend with a garden! They are fabulous stuffed, added to pasta or quesadillas.

Recipe by Kathleen Catherall

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SUMMER PASTA WITH RICOTTA

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using Chef Tom Gray’s Fresh Ricotta Cheese
yields 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups rigatoni (any pasta will work)
3 - 4 summer squash or zucchini (or combo!), sliced into 1/4-inch coins
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup artichoke hearts
1/2 cup peas (frozen or fresh)
3 cups spinach
1/3 cup Chef Tom Gray’s Ricotta Cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh basil

Note: Use whatever veggies you have on hand - bonus points if they are locally-grown.

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add sliced squash/zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are jammy, about 15 minutes. Adjust heat as needed so mixture does not brown.

2) Once squash is cooked, add artichokes and cover.

3) Meanwhile, bring pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions. When pasta is about 3 minutes from al dente, add peas to pasta water.

4) When pasta is just al dente, drain pasta and peas, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water.

5) Add pasta to pan with squash mixture, followed by the spinach. Toss to coat, stir in ricotta, Parmesan and lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Add about 1/4 cup pasta water to incorporate all ingredients and continue to toss. Add more pasta water, if needed, until sauce coats ingredients nicely.

6) Generously garnish with freshly-torn basil.

Recipe by Kathleen Catherall

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FLUFFY RICOTTA PANCAKES

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using Chef Tom Gray’s Fresh Ricotta Cheese
yields 3 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Chef Tom Gray’s Ricotta Cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk (see Note)
2 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of 1/2 lemon
butter, canola oil or coconut oil, for cooking

Note: You can substitute whole milk if you don’t have buttermilk. If using milk, omit the baking soda.

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Combine ricotta, buttermilk, egg yolks and vanilla in a separate bowl. Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour in your wet mixture. Mix until just combined - it’s okay if it’s a little lumpy. Add lemon zest.

2) In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a handheld electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. (Can be done by hand if you don’t have an electric mixer.)

3) Add about 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the batter and stir gently. Then, carefully fold the remaining egg whites into the batter.

4) Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Add just enough butter/canola oil/coconut oil to coat the surface and, working in batches, pour batter onto the hot pan, about 1/2 cup per pancake. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the bottom has lightly browned and bubbles are starting to come to the surface. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until other side has nicely browned. Repeat with any remaining batter.

5) Serve immediately with maple syrup or berry compote.

Recipe by Kathleen Catherall

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